Talking About Singing with Anna Camp

Who better to help explain the phenomenon of singing and why so many people feel the need to do it than Anna Camp, star of the new a cappella movie Pitch Perfect (and a regular on Fox's new The Mindy Project)? We talked to her recently about singing competitions, talent and teaching, and the apocalypse.

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MARK SVARTZ: First, what's your karaoke jam?

ANNA CAMP: I actually just busted out my karaoke jam at the Pitch Perfect after-party. They had a live karaoke band, and I got to sing "These Boots Are Made for Walking" by Nancy Sinatra. That's my go-to. I had a set list. Start with Lisa Loeb's "Stay." Then Nancy Sinatra. And then I finish with "Jessie's Girl."

MS: You've have to have the list.

AC: And then some rapping went down. I tried to sing "Regulate" before I forgot how difficult that one gets when you've had one too many martinis.

MS: I've been there. You have to take on Warren G sober. Everyone feels confident at the "Regulators... mount up!" part, but then it's like, Oh no, fast words.

AC:Everyone, pick up every available mic and help me out with this.

MS: What I really want to know is, how did singing suddenly become so big?

AC: It's everywhere. There's Glee, and they're bringing back a lot of musical movies. I used to watch a lot of Judy Garland films and musicals growing up, but then it reached a point when those just weren't cool anymore. But suddenly it's all back.

MS: Not to mention the competition shows.

AC:The Voice, American Idol, The Sing-Off. I think everybody wants to be a rock star. You see bands rocking on stage and fans screaming and girls throwing themselves at them — it's one of the coolest jobs you can have. Everyone thinks they can do it because they sound great in the shower. But amazingly, some of them can sing. Though I've stopped watching Idol a little bit because too much gets decided by who little girls at home think is the cutest.

MS: It's weird that everything is now determined by viewers' text messages. Imagine if record contracts were decided like this and Bruce Springsteen lost to the David Archuletas of the world.

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AC: Are we truly finding the best talent, or is it back to high school popularity contests?

MS: I'm sure the Elvises would still rise to the top. But I can't say the same for the Aaron Nevilles. One sight of that mole on Idol and the world would never have experienced his mesmerizing quiver-voice.

AC: I haven't thought of Aaron Neville in forever. I'm so glad you mentioned him. I'm so happy now. It's the day after my 30th birthday and I get to think about Aaron Neville all day long.

MS: You're very welcome. I actually like The Voice because it's invite-only. But it's shocking how many people think they can sing.

AC: Sometimes you just can't hear yourself. Maybe ears are too close to the mouth.

MS: The biggest flaw in human anatomy.

AC: Singing travels so fast between the two that it doesn't have time to sound bad. Haven't you ever recorded yourself, and your voice sounds totally different from what you thought?

MS: Yes. Took me years to realize I don't actually sound like Sean Connery.

AC: As an actor, it's the same watching yourself onscreen. It's like, Oh man, that looks totally different from what I thought I was doing. The first time I watched Pitch Perfect, I had to do it with hands over my eyes.

MS: People react so differently to singing than everything else. You watch tryouts for So You Think You Can Dance, and the judges tell a dancer they need to work on their splits. They say, "Sure, thanks, I'll work on it." But someone's told he's no Al Green, and he goes berserk.

AC: It's like telling them Santa Claus doesn't exist. It's shocking when someone who is really bad thinks they're really good. It's heartbreaking, because singing is such a vulnerable thing to do. I went to college at North Carolina School of the Arts and took a lot of singing classes, and it really is so connected to emotions.

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MS: Is singing something you can teach?

AC: Ultimately, I don't think you can teach a tone-deaf person how to sing. Some talents you're just born with, unfortunately.

MS: It's like they say in basketball. You can't teach seven feet tall. But it's always great when someone does discover that gift they were born with.

AC: I've never actually attempted to golf, so maybe that's my true gift. I could be the next Tiger Woods and just not know it.

MS: How cool would it be if we could know? If one day, when kids are born, they have a sensor that declares what their skill is?

AC: That'd be awesome. They'd come out with a little tag that says, "I'm excellent at throwing darts."

MS: "I'm the greatest croissant maker in the world."

AC: But it would also destroy the fun of discovery and finding out what your thing is.

MS: What do you think yours would be?

AC: I've been acting since second grade, telling stories, making my parents laugh here and there, so I'm hoping my "thing" is acting. But I also make a really good bread pudding. What do you think your thing is?

MS: Like you and your acting, I've been writing forever, so that's the logical choice. But I will say, I used to be a pretty damn good Hacky Sack player in college. So I like to think that I've got Hacky Sack in my back pocket.

AC: I'll bet you're carrying one in your back pocket as we speak, as a constant reminder of the possibilities of reaching true Hacky Sack greatness.

AC: I'm picturing your apartment, a box full of Hacky Sacks stored away, just dying for you to break 'em out and play with them.

MS: Back to real talent — the singers who I feel truly have a gift are a cappella singers.

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AC: Yeah, they're incredibly talented. Before Pitch Perfect, I didn't realize how difficult it was. You have to lock in, find your note. You have to know your part inside and out, and then to add choreography on top of it? It's insane.

MS: The ones who really blow me away are the vocal percussionists and beat-boxers.

AC: Those guys are born with magical powers. I can actually make a pretty cool trumpet sound.

MS: Let's hear it.

AC:[Makes extremely believable trumpet sound.] Oh no, my dog just freaked out and attacked me. But I've been doing that since I was a little kid. That's my other talent that I was born with.

MS: That settles it. Come apocalypse time, you and I are sharing a bunker and bringing our skills.

AC: You and your Hacky Sacks, me and my bread pudding and mouth-trumpet. It's scary that that's all we've got, but at least we'll be laughing.